THE WALL (RE-VISITED)

Anyone that knows me or has read my blog knows that I am not a fan of remakes, reboots and imitations. I still profess that older is better. I’ll take a 12 year old cathode ray tube TV that will last for 20 or more years in a second over a flat screen piece of crap with an average home life of 3 years. I’m still spinning vinyl and have been even when new vinyl was hard to come by. I still use a home made vacuum tube amp, and I’ve seen Pink Floyd twice. Once back on June 19, 1977 at Soldier Field for Animals and during The Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour (minus Waters) in 1988 or ’89 at Cleveland Stadium. Over a year ago, I saw Roger Waters’ re-boot of Pink Floyd’s seminal album and concert The Wall. I was fully prepared to skewer that concert on a sharpened ash stake. It ended up being the concert highlight of my life.

Last night I had a chance to see Waters’ refinement of that show at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids. Waters has managed to reinterpret The Wall in context with present day politics and it works. I don’t like preachy performers. I’ve walked out on Springsteen and he’s my favorite musician. Waters bashes government control and big business. His show includes symbolic bombs —money signs, the McD’s M, Shell Oil logo, the Daimler emblem, Stars of David, Christian Crosses and Islamic Star and Crescent being dropped from vintage WWII aircraft in various animated sequences. Several groups are bitching about him. I didn’t take any of the politics too seriously, sat back and enjoyed the ride.

Visually this was a stunning show. The special effects include rear and front digital projections, analog projections (film?), mechanical devices and puppetry, pyrotechnics, animation and real people.

Roger Waters is 69 years old, he sounds dead on, and The Wall has never been better.

7 Responses to “THE WALL (RE-VISITED)”

I agree with you on most items. Ditch the cathode ray tube tv and get a 120Mhz LCD. Even in a small packcage, it will improve your movie viewing experience. As far as the rest of the review, I would love to catch this on a swing through Dallas. “The Wall” is the quintessential rock movie of all time. At least in my warped mind. Two further criticisms. You dropped a “y” on “they” right at the end. Still don’t like the white text on black back round. Leave burn in in my pupils. Don’t get thirsty, my friend. Have a beer.

Had to comment here. Even in the retail stores I can always see pixelation or blurring during movement on HD screens. It’s the reason I still haven’t bought one. I have never watched an HD screen anywhere where I didn’t see the blurring at the edges. Not saying I know it all, just have never seen a satisfactory HD screen.